MR elastography

MR elastography (MRE) is an MRI technique that can be used to assess liver stiffness. This is useful to not only detect the development of fibrosis in diffuse liver disease but also to quantify it and monitor liver fibrosis change with (or without) therapy.

The main advantage over ultrasound elastographic techniques is that a larger portion of the liver is sampled, reducing sampling bias.

Procedure

Preprocedural evaluation

• patients should be fasting for 4-6 hours before the MRI exam

Equipment

• a passive pneumatic driver is connected to an active driver outside the MRI room
  • this generates 60 Hz mechanical compressions over the liver

Technique

• the driver is typically placed on a supine patient over the right upper quadrant of the abdominal wall

Practical points

• MR elastography in the liver is limited by hepatic iron deposition

See also

• elastography
  • transient elastography
  • shear wave elastography
  • acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI)

Siehe auch:

• Elastographie